1
Lombard Street, London
EC3
Louise
Elgin reports from the heart
of the square mile...
 Dining
out in a former banking hall is
somewhat of a modern day phenomenon
and the
conversion of 1
Lombard Street is part of a growing
trend. Situated in a grand location,
adjacent to the The Mansion House
portico, it now comprises an elegant,
one starred Michelin restaurant
and also a brasserie complete with
lively
bar, making an obvious destination
for the ‘suited and booted’ to
wine and dine their clients. On
entering
there is an instant buzz reminiscent
of the historic stock exchange
trading room floor. The Brasserie
where we
dined is large, with a centrally
located circular bar designed to
complement the beautiful cupola
directly above. The dining tables
are mostly
situated around the edges of the
room, and are comfortable and well
spaced.
 A
long and comprehensive menu catered
for all tastes and staff were attentive
and helpful in making choices. I
began with a classic fish soup, which
did not disappoint. It
was as it should be: rich and substantial,
served with wonderfully garlicky
toast. My guest chose a red wine
risotto with grilled baby squid in
a parsley and garlic jus. He commented
on its excellent presentation and
superb flavour–which was rounded
off nicely with just a touch of spice.
To accompany our first course we
each chose a glass of white wine
from the concise list. I tried a
L'Archet Sauvignon Blanc 2004, which
was a light colour with sharp flavours
of fresh acidic fruits. My
guest tried the L'Archet Chardonnay & Viognier
2004; this was delightfully golden
in colour with pear overtones - and
proved a pleasantly quaffable match
for his food.
To follow, there was
an element of disappointment, as
a couple of things we had ear marked
had run out due
to an incredibly busy lunchtime crowd
earlier that day. I had a very authentic
coq au vin. This was almost gamey
in flavours and very rich. It came
beautifully served on a bed of mashed
potatoes with luscious gravy, perhaps
a little on the salty side due to
the bacon bits, but it was robust
and the genuine article. My
guest had a Scotch rib eye steak
with chips and beurre maitre d'hotel. He
said the meat was very tender with
herby overtones. It
came served with tomatoes, mushrooms
and excellent chips. We shared a
bottle of South African Hamilton
Russell Pinot Noir Walker Bay 2002
This was a rich and fruity bevy of
dark fruits, complementing our meat
dishes beautifully. To
finish we shared a plate of cheeses,
as we were both too pleasantly full
to indulge in anything sweet!
Dining at night in The Brasserie is very different to the lunchtime ambience
when the entire establishment is
given over to diners, albeit some
sitting on bar stools to eat. In
the evening it becomes very much
a bar with dining – inevitably,
the decibels rise as city folk
relax
after a hard day - perhaps not
a great spot for a romantic dinner
a deux. The adjacent and intimate
restaurant, however, is much
more the place for that.
Louise Elgin. November
2005.
1
Lombard Street, London
EC3
Tel:
020 7929 6611 http://www.1lombardstreet.com/
A meal with wine, water and service
is around £100
for two.
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